Threat Range

We hear about it all the time in 40K, threat range. This is the thing that makes so many assault units insanely powerful. Things like Knob Bikerz, Thunderwolf Calvery and Bloodclaws being able to assault from over 12" away and in some cases ignore soft terrain ranged shooting has essentially been nerfed out of existence. IG is really the only shooty army that stands a chance of surviving thanks to insane unit sizes. After all throw enough dice at anything and it will die. Orks have the same setup as well and can even back it up in close combat after all a mob of 30 Shoota Boyz is still allot of dice rolling. But want about the other groups like Necrons or Tau, they are stuck. Small unit size and only 1 horrible option for a rapid fire weapon is a disaster waiting to happen. I know what people will say, 'Well just stick the troops inside a transport, that will protect them.' The problem is then they can't do what they are designed to do, shoot things. In a game that is about cinematic events and heroic deeds you never are going to hear something like, The brave men of company B held up inside of there transport hoping to not be assaulted but the enemy. Also trading 12+ dice for 4 to 6 and the ability to only target 1 unit doesn't get you very far or help you with the threat range problem. With the amount of power weapons floating around in every other army hiding in a transport does no good.

So how to correct this.

Free defensive weaponry. Grenades are nice but for some reason Tau has to pay for them separately while everyone else gets them free. Even when taking carbines that have grenade launchers on them they still have to pay for regular ones. Talk about an early date with the foam box. They should be passing these things out like beads at Marti Gras.

New units that add protection. For a group that is supposed to rely on technology so much the Tau need to actually start doing it. They have stealth fields and disruption pods why not put them into a drone. A disruption drone that shields troops like a disruption pod does for ships. This was the intent of the shield drone but really it isn't doing its job. That 12" buffer no target zone would actually mean that they could get a shot off now and then.

Extended rapid fire range. This is a big one. Pulse Carbines need to be able to rapid fire at longer ranges. These guys are the best of the best shooters. They should be able to write 'For the Greater Good' across a space marines chest at any range like some '20s gangster with a Tommy gun. Ideally give them it at 18" instead of 12". The fluff behind it is pretty simple too, if the 'we can't change a light bulb without saying a 30 minute prayer' marines can have weapons that are smart enough to tell friend from foe why not let the Tau have tech that improves their shooting other than marker lights.

Mine layers or drop barriers. This is one that I just don't get. Tau are masters of the air on par with the Eldar. They have airdropped gun emplacements that while limited, make since. Why not expand on this and give them a drop minefield or barricade like a bastion defense walls. Both are perfect ways of not totally stopping a charge but taking some of the bite out of it.

Drone sacrifice. Give Them the option of sacrificing their drones and allow them to move d6 inches away. This is the classic war movie tactic and would fit the Tau better than standing there and getting punched in the face. They see that charge coming and setup a couple of drones as the first line so they can still return fire. The d6 distance doesn't put you way out of range but at least stops the assault and since it is a one time thing it allows you to hopefully avoid the inevitable.

So there you have it, any one of those gives a needed boost and make threat range less of a problem without breaking the Tau feel like most fixes that basically beef them up to Marine numbers.